Bang Yong Guk

Name: Bang Yong Guk

Stage Names: Yong Guk, BYG or Jepp Blackman

DOB: 3rd March 1990

Position in group: Leader, rapper, dancer and songwriter.

Matoki: Shi Shi Mato

Experiences:

Former member of an underground hip-hop group called Seoul Connection with a stage name Jepp Blackman. Together, they released a single called “Cherry Flower” in 2008.
Featured in SECRET’s Song Ji Eun’s solo single “Going Crazy”. The song received both positive and negative reviews but nevertheless, “Going Crazy” topped the Gaon Chart as well as Gaon’s Digital and Streaming Chart. The song garnered him popularity as he was on top of major portal search rankings in South Korea after the song’s release.
On August 11, 2011, BYG released his first solo single “I Remember” featuring B2ST’s Yoseob. The song managed to land in the Top 10 on real time charts in South Korea after it’s release and peaked at number twenty-two on the Gaon Charts. Unfortunately, BYG & Yoseob could not perform the song live as the song was deemed as ‘unfit for broadcast’ due to several scenes containing shooting and violence.
Formed a sub-unit group with the maknae of the group, Zelo, in late 2011 and released a single called “Never Give Up”. Together, they promoted the song in several countries, one of them being Malaysia.

Musical Influences: 50 cent, P. Diddy, Pharell, Supreme Team & Dynamic Duo.

Quotes:

“My goal from the beginning wasn’t becoming a K-pop singer. But seeing Supreme Team or Dynamic Duo who have popularized hip hop music [in Korea], I wanted to take part in it and make my contribution to the genre’s development.”

“I’ve realized that actually being on stage is vastly different from everything I’ve rehearsed for and that I still have more to learn.”

“Going Crazy” – SECRET’s Song Ji Eun feat, Bang Yong Guk

“I Remember” – Bang Yong Guk feat. B2ST’s Yoseob

“Never Give Up” – Bang & Zelo